Microsoft owns Windows, Azure, and LinkedIn and is regularly ranked among the world’s largest companies by market capitalization.
Microsoft was established in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Its early breakthrough came from supplying software for personal computers, including a version of the BASIC programming language and later the MS-DOS operating system. Windows became the company’s best-known platform after its first release in 1985.
The company has expanded far beyond desktop software. Azure is its cloud-computing platform, while LinkedIn became part of Microsoft after a 2016 acquisition. Microsoft also owns Xbox and publishes Office applications, now marketed within Microsoft 365. These businesses give it exposure to enterprise software, gaming, cloud services, and professional networking.
Microsoft’s market value is not the same thing as its annual sales or profit. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying the share price by the number of outstanding shares, and it can change every trading day. Microsoft is also distinct from MicroStrategy, another public technology company with a similar first word.